I’m sitting at my desk listening to an early Joan Baez album because that music makes my mom happy (also, God bless Spotify; best $10 I spend a month). Earlier today, my mom went down to the basement to bring up a small bookcase for her room upstairs.
I just want to pause there for a moment: my mother carried a small bookcase up a flight of stairs. I didn’t know she was doing it – I probably would have tried to stop her – and I took up to the second floor, but still. She is now capable of carrying a small bookcase up a flight of stairs.
This is so fucking huge.
Yesterday after I wrapped up my work, we did some housecleaning. We’re planning on converting my mom’s room downstairs into a playroom now that Tori is having sleepovers and longer playdates. My mom, Tori, and I went downstairs and managed to put a really good dent into cleaning stuff down there; when my mom moved in she wasn’t all that well and a ton of stuff was in shopping and garbage bags and she’s really never quite been well enough to want to sort through it all until now. We threw out a big garbage bag of stuff and washed a bunch of her clothes and linens and put some stuff in boxes as we anticipate her eventual move to the senior living place.
There’s been no movement on the waiting list over there, but with my mom’s condition improving at the speed of light – seriously, it is AMAZING – we are not in any rush. We can wait until they are ready. In good news, my mom is actually looking forward to living there; it’s right next door to our church (I say ours lightly because I haven’t attended much with the new pastor; my churchiness is pretty low, and without the old minister and music director I just don’t feel like going) so she can easily walk to choir practice and bible study and services.
Speaking of her walking; just… WOW. She’s been very regimented doing the exercises her physical therapist gave her at the rehab, and that particular physical therapist spotted some trouble areas on my mom (particularly a weakness in one hip) and because of the improvement in her strength and stamina, she’s getting around the house without a cane most of the time (she can’t use her rollator with her arm broken).
Even more compelling is how clear and present she is. We’re not repeating things all the time, or pushing her to take care of herself, or anything like that. She’s keeping track of her medications and appointments, and tonight Charlie and I are considering going to a movie while she babysits Tori. There was no way, two months ago, that we felt comfortable with that.
It’s truly spectacular. Her gerontologist was right; it just took some time for the surgery’s benefits to materialize, and for the impact of prolonged excess calcium to leave her brain.
This is truly a blessing.
Yesterday after we stopped working in the basement, we came upstairs and cleaned up the living room (which mostly consisted of forcing Tori to take all her toys back to her room; sheesh, she has a lot of toys). Tori and I then reorganized her room (we got one of these awesome things at Ikea and DAMN does that hold a lotta stuffed animals!). It was a one of those beautiful and productive days where it felt like the whole family was a team.
I feel really happy right now. Quick: someone take a picture! Heh.
{ 22 comments… read them below or add one }
Your happiness makes me happy! Thanks for sharing it. :)
It must feel like *breathing* again. ;)
That’s really good. I know you take a lot of shit on here about having your mother live with you but I don’t think most people realize how difficult an average suburban house can be for an elderly person with decreased mobility. I think a move to a senior living apartment will serve her well in the long run.
So great to hear! Prayers going out to Anne that she will continue to improve to a complete recovery. Thanks for the update, and please keep us posted.
SO glad to hear this! And I’m so glad you are getting to spend GOOD time with your mom. I miss mine terribly, but have wonderful memories!
Wonderful!
Smiling for you here, my dear.
So happy for you! And so nice to read that things are going better.
I am happy your mom is feeling better but I am a little confused. I thought Tori wasn’t safe with your mom. You wrote a post about how Tori wasn’t safe with her or didn’t feel safe as one of the reasons for your mother moving to an assisted living apartment. Why would you leave her alone with your mom if that is the case?
There was a brief period during her illness where she was not mentally capable of being trusted with Tori. That risk has gotten much better over the last couple months, and now that time has passed. But we stayed home tonight anyway. :)
Only good things from now on!
I’m happy that y’all have made great strides. Yet if her physical rehab has progressed to where she is moving with a cane or better, often w/o a cane then she won’t need the rollator anymore. Not to say she doesn’t have set backs, gets tired, etc but in terms of her physical progression she should move on from the cane to eventally no assistance. I don’t mean to make a mountain out of this but as someone who had to relearn how to walk after a major knee surgery. not a slight against anyone, just something to keep in mind with the positive progress she’s made physically.
As wonderful as it is to read this post, it must be a thousand times more wonderful to live it :) I’m so relieved that things are doing well.
I have one of those IKEA hanging things. It is always EMPTY, because for stuffed animals to fit in I would actually have to have a child that put a stuffed animal IN it. The toys the toys the toys.
Wow, good news, gorgeous!
That is great news about your mom! I actually love that thing you got from ikea, I like how you can see through it and stick your hands in at random spots to grab things…perfect for keeping toys in check!
It was small and light enough to carry in one hand; like I said, I would have stopped her had I known she was doing it.
So thrilled to hear this! Sometimes you just have to hang on until things change – because they always do. Enjoy!
Great to hear that she is making good progress!
So great to hear this! Bet you can let your shoulders come down a bit now, & breathe!
Checking out that neat Ikea toy holder, what would you say the weight capacity is (or approx. how many animals does it hold)? We have a ton of stuffed animals and IKEA is FAR away, so I thought I’d ask before I made the trip to copy-cat your great idea! :)
I think each little area is currently holding about 8-10 critters. They are BURSTING, literally, all except the top one because I’m so short. I will say that the weight made the top circle bow in a bit, but I do not care. It’s keeping her room clean. I might get another one.
Going to get several this weekend then, thanks so much!